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Empty Rooms (2021 Demo)

from The Deeper Than Things Seem EP by Dan Vallerand

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about

"Empty Rooms" was the last song I wrote before the pandemic began, and is about the struggles of being a small town act playing to literally an empty room, which has happened to me plenty of times but none so harshly as this one time in 2011 at a Jay Smith mic over at what's now Urbano's. I was the last guy up, I had sat through the entire show waiting to play having arrived on time and all, and got to play a few songs to literally just me and the bartender. It was a humbling experience I've never forgotten. Ironically, given how 2020 turned out, we all ended up playing to empty rooms, didn't we?

lyrics

Tonight's the night I've been waiting for
I'm ready to go, ready to play some more
Gonna hop on the stage and have my say
Let everyone know this is my day

But as I creep the door
I see barely any feet on the floor
Oh God, am I playing to an empty room?

Well, this can't be, it's just the start
I'm not letting the worry settle in my heart
I'm ready, come on yeah, you gotta give me a shot
Let me shine here in my own spot

But as the time wears on
People wave, then they're gone
Oh God, I'm playing to an empty room

This isn't the first time I've had to take a hit on my own dime
And everybody's stuff is better than mine anyways
So why should you stick around to hear the same five songs?

The night gets deeper and the cars pass by
Yet again, I'm asking myself why
I'm playing these chords for no one
Just the barkeep and I, until it's done

But that's the risk we take
When all we do is try to make our mark
Here in this world

Even if you just create
You gotta know, there's no escape
Sometimes we all play to empty rooms

credits

from The Deeper Than Things Seem EP, released July 5, 2023
All instrumentation besides drums by Dan Vallerand; the drums are a loop.

Written by Dan Vallerand in January 2020. This recording produced and engineered by Jacob Crothers. "Empty Rooms" was recorded August 9th, 2021 at Rafael Murguia's house.

license

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